Master the Art of Developing Captivating TV Characters
Creating compelling TV characters is not an easy feat. It requires a lot of brainstorming, research, and creativity to come up with a character that resonates with the audience. TV characters are the backbone of any successful TV show, and they are the ones who keep the audience engaged and invested in the story. In this article, we will discuss some tips and tricks for creating compelling TV characters.
1. Know your audience
The first step in creating compelling TV characters is to know your audience. You need to understand who your target audience is and what they are looking for in a TV show. For example, if your target audience is teenagers, you might want to create a character that they can relate to, such as a high school student dealing with the pressures of teenage life.
2. Understand the character’s backstory
The backstory of a character is what makes them relatable and interesting. You need to understand the character’s past, their motivations, and their personality traits. This will help you create a character that is three-dimensional and not just a caricature.
3. Give the character flaws
Perfect characters are boring. Flaws make a character relatable and interesting. For example, if your character is a detective, you might want to give them a flaw such as alcoholism or a troubled past. This will make the character more relatable and add depth to their personality.
4. Make the character unique
You want your character to stand out from the crowd. This means giving them a unique personality or trait that sets them apart from other characters. For example, if your character is a doctor, you might want to give them a unique hobby such as playing the guitar or painting.
5. Use real-life inspiration
Real-life can be a great source of inspiration when creating TV characters. You can draw inspiration from people you know, historical figures, or even celebrities. For example, the character of Don Draper in Mad Men was inspired by real-life ad executive, Draper Daniels.
6. Collaborate with other writers
Collaborating with other writers can help you come up with more compelling TV characters. Brainstorming with others can lead to new ideas and perspectives that you might not have thought of on your own.
7. Test your character
Once you’ve created your character, it’s important to test them out. This can be done through a pilot episode or a script reading. This will give you an idea of how the character comes across on screen and whether they are compelling enough to hold the audience’s attention.
Key Takeaways
- Creating compelling TV characters requires knowing your audience, understanding the character’s backstory, giving the character flaws, making them unique, using real-life inspiration, collaborating with other writers, and testing the character.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in the TV or film industry, consider taking the “NYU Film and TV Industry Essentials” online course and certificate program offered by Yellowbrick. This program provides an overview of the film and TV industry and can help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this competitive field.
